A Son Confronts Family Secrets with Rich Boerner (Bonus Episode 43)
What happens when the truth you uncover about your family changes everything you thought you knew about love, loyalty, and belonging?
In this powerful conversation, Dr. Sherrie sits down with Rich Boerner, author of A Son Confronts Family Secrets, to talk about what it means to face generational denial, uncover hidden truths, and reclaim your voice from the silence you were raised to protect.
Rich opens up about his journey from compliance to confrontation—how unraveling the lies at the center of his family story forced him to redefine home, healing, and forgiveness on his own terms.
If you’ve ever been the “keeper of peace” in a family built on secrets, this episode will remind you: telling the truth isn’t betrayal—it’s liberation.
In This Episode:
🍎 The emotional cost of keeping family secrets
🍎 What happens when you stop protecting the family image
🍎 Rebuilding your identity after the truth comes out
🍎 How grief, anger, and compassion can coexist
🍎 The courage it takes to tell your story publicly
🍎 Why silence protects the wrong people
🍎 Reclaiming love and loyalty on your own terms
✨ Key Quote from Rich:
“Sometimes confronting the truth isn’t about destroying your family—it’s about finally saving yourself.”
💫 Takeaway from Dr. Sherrie:
Family truth-telling isn’t rebellion. It’s repair. You’re not breaking the family—you’re breaking the illusion that kept you small.
Rich Boerner is a celebrated audio producer, author, and voice talent whose career has taken him across major media hubs from New York and Los Angeles to San Francisco and Portland. Known for his ability to build and transform audio platforms, Rich played a key role in launching two of the nation’s most successful FM talk stations—Real Radio 104.1 in Orlando and 97.1 FM Talk in Los Angeles.
As the industry shifted toward digital, Rich helped pioneer new frontiers in podcasting. He was instrumental in the early development of PodcastOne and later led the Los Angeles operations for Cadence13 (now part of Audacy), shaping studios and teams that produced content with some of the world’s most recognizable voices. His collaborations span icons such as Oprah Winfrey, Gwyneth Paltrow, John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, Adam Carolla, Jemele Hill, and Steve Austin.
Beyond producing, Rich’s own voice has been featured in national campaigns and audiobooks. His memoir, The Not‑So Only Child, shares the deeply personal story of a family discovery that reshaped his life. His work has earned recognition from the Webby Awards, NAACP Image Awards, and Broadcast Radio Awards, underscoring his impact on both traditional and digital audio storytelling.
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Episode Sponsor:
Betterhelp
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MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:
📌 [Book] The Not-So Only Child: My True Story by Rich Boerner - https://www.amazon.com/Not-So-Only-Child-True-Story-ebook/dp/B0FMJWVV4H
📌 [Documentary] Three Identical Strangers (2018) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Identical_Strangers
📌 [Book] The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz - https://www.amazon.com/Four-Agreements-Practical-Personal-Freedom/dp/1878424319
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NEW BOOK!
You Are Home: Heal from Family Trauma, Establish Boundaries, and Find a Place of Peace and Safety
Available For Pre-Order: https://amzn.to/4npkCPX
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MY TEDx TALK:
📌 TEDx Talk Not All Parents Are Good by Dr. Sherrie Campbell - https://youtu.be/deyHwDkG7oc
BOOKS BY DR. SHERRIE:
⚉ Adult Survivors of Emotionally Abusive Parents: How to Heal, Cultivate Emotional Resilience, and Build the Life and Love You Deserve - https://amzn.to/3UhURWI
⚉ Adult Survivors of Toxic Family Members: Tools to Maintain Boundaries, Deal with Criticism, and Heal from Shame After Ties Have Been Cut. - https://amzn.to/3L3sMuA
⚉ But It’s Your Family…: Cutting Ties with Toxic Family Members and Loving Yourself in the Aftermath - https://amzn.to/3tuNQEn
⚉ Your Pocket Therapist: Quick Hacks for Dealing with Toxic People While Empowering Yourself - https://amzn.to/3JBql1R
⚉ Success Equations: A Path to Living an Emotionally Wealthy Life - https://amzn.to/3uobd1u
⚉ Loving Yourself: The Mastery of Being Your Own Person - https://amzn.to/36mlXp5
CONNECT WITH RICH:
📌 Website: https://rbcreative.com/
📌 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-boerner/
📌 Email: rich@rbcreative.com
📌 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/richboerner
📌 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richboerner/
CONNECT WITH DR. SHERRIE:
⚉ Website: https://drsherriecampbell.com/
⚉ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SherrieCampbellPhD
Check out the Sherapy Master Class: The Toxic Family Sherapy Course designed to help people master toxic family members and turn their life around to one of freedom, peace, and empowerment. Click here https://bit.ly/SherapyMasterclass
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